My happiness comes from many things not related to elections, most importantly, a God who loves me, peace of mind knowing my future is secure, a family who loves me most of the time, good relationships with my extended family and friends, good health, and a job that helps me support my family. Less importantly in the grand scheme of things but things that I still enjoy include seeing Last Man Standing again on Friday nights, new episodes of Seal Team and Criminal Minds are on tonight, and Alabama plays football again Saturday, and they are playing pretty well.

Would I have liked more Republicans to win last night? Of course but that was out of my control. All those I voted for in Alabama did win this time I think, but that is rare too. Historically speaking it was a good night for the current administration. Republicans have proven over and over they cannot lead and get things done even when in power.

The next two years will be interesting and possibly exciting.

President Trump is a deal maker so I expect he will make some offers not all on either side will like to get those deals done.

Nancy Pelosi says she wants to work together to get things done. I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I have been around long enough to know that her definition of “working together” or bipartisanship is you agree with everything she wants to do, or you are not working together. I don’t expect anything new there.

For the Establishment, they will have a replacement for John McCain and Jeff Flake in the Senate in Senator Mitt Romney from Utah.

So there was something most everyone can be happy about from yesterday’s elections but, as normal, no one got everything they wanted.

Elections do not change me

I will still support the same people, ideas and issues as I did yesterday. My principles have not changed.

I will continue to Remember Everyone Deployed and support our military. I will Back the Thin Blue Line and First Responders. I will never forget Benghazi as it reminds me to what extent politicians will go to hold on to power. I oppose illegal immigration and support legal immigration and enforcing our borders and our sovereignty as a nation. I support our Constitution and a Supreme Court and judiciary system that will interpret the Constitution and not legislate from the bench. I enthusiastically support the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness our Declaration of Independence delineates when it says,

Elections never end

It’s a new day America, and now the next election cycle begins. Sadly, most actions taken in the next two years by all those just elected or re-elected will be about that next election instead of what is best for the people they were elected to serve. My prayer each day is God will give them the discernment and the motivation to make decisions in the best interest of those they serve instead of their self-interests.

On this morning, when Gillian meets with Coach George, she finds herself watching Mrs. B., one of the wealthiest women in town, serving breakfast to a group of underprivileged children alongside a famous local athlete. Not only are they serving the children food, they are also serving up a heaping helping of self-esteem. In both words and actions they communicate that while these youngsters may come from difficult circumstances, they are immensely valued young human beings. Gillian is fascinated, but can’t quite come up with the word she wants when her mentor ask her, what quality is it that Mrs. B. (a/k/a Elizabeth) and the tall quarterback share in common?Continue reading Being Gracious

Like this:

Jackson Hill and his mentor, Judge Henshaw, are back at Rachel’s Famous Coffee for another lesson. One that Jackson badly needs as he’s about to continue his negotiations with the formidable Gillian Waters later that day. And his first meeting with the buyer at Smith & Banks had not gone well.

“Set the frame,” the Judge said. “The frame is more important than the content, because the frame is the context. Whoever sets the frame of the conversation also sets the tone and the direction in which it will go.

Like this:

Gillian Waters, a buyer for Smith & Banks, a national chain of pet accessory stores is listening attentively to her mentor, the Coach, a short, stout fireplug of a man. They’re at the Juice Caboose where, after draining most of his glass (“Celery juice: best when drunk in the first sixty seconds”), he shares his next lesson with one word his protégée finds surprising.

The scene is a coffee shop called Rachel’s Famous Coffee, one of a widely-regarded worldwide chain. Jackson Hill is learning his first big lesson while in conversation with his new mentor, the honorable Judge Celia Henshaw (retired).

“Your reaction wasn’t based on the facts of what happened, but purely on your own feelings. Which are not always entirely trustworthy.”

Social media allows us great opportunities to connect with others. It creates the context for democratizing influence, giving voice to individuals on a mass basis.

It’s exciting just to consider the good that can be accomplished as various (and yes, opposing) political and other viewpoints can be communicated intelligently, respectfully, and persuasively, and without the filter of the usual authority figures. Imagine the potential for mutual understanding! Continue reading How to Cyber-Influence – Even When You Disagree

Who is in control of your time? You or your smartphone? Are you constantly reacting to a new alert from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Periscope, Messenger or some other social media or phone app? If the answer to that questions is yes then your smartphone is controlling you. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Present Day

David is worried about his job and his life in general. He has just been given a warning by his new boss about actions he was falsely accused of by this same boss. On his way home, he found a note he thought he would return to the young woman he had bumped into that morning. He had helped her gather several similar pages scattered by the wind. However, after reading the note, an invitation to a meeting, he decided to attend this meeting himself and hoped to see the young woman with the contagious laughter and twinkle in her eye again too. Little did he know Continue reading The Book of Mistakes – And Lessons Learned

Well, it is Super Bowl Sunday and before and even during the game there will be mistakes made. Mistakes are part of the game. Some will say the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win and that is often true. However, I think it is more often true the winner is the team that learns from its mistakes. Continue reading Mistakes